I was raised to show respect. I was taught to knock before I open a door. Say hello when I enter a room. Say please and thank you, and to have respect for my elders. . I’d let another person have my seat if they need it. Say ‘yes sir’ and ‘no sir’, and help […]
Make yourself proud of who you are. Read More »
It is not about ‘time OR training’ but about ‘time AND training’. ?? . You have to do the time, and promotion will come when you are ready, and you have the minimum ‘time in grade’. Note that the time in grade requirement is a ‘minimum’. Therefore, if you are training three times a week, the
It is not about ‘time OR training’ but about ‘time AND training’. Read More »
“To all those whose progress remains hampered by ego-related distractions, let humility – the spiritual cornerstone upon which Karate rests – serve to remind one to place virtue before vice, values before vanity and principles before personalities.” – Sokon Matsumura (1809-1899) . . “A good instructor teaches students how to fight, a great instructor teaches
“True leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.” ~ Tom Peters . Trust is a wonderful thing. Real trust is something that is earned over time. In budo practice, trust is absolutely essential. Without trust there is no respect. Trust is really easy to break and very difficult to gain. Once trust is broken,
Trust is a wonderful thing. Real trust is something that is earned over time. Read More »
Motivation in martial arts training. . I’ve been training in the martial arts for almost forty seven years now and finding the motivation to keep going has been an ongoing process. Sometimes it was easy, other times not so much. Which brings me to the question I think is key to have long-term motivation to
Motivation in martial arts training. Read More »
“When you feel life out of focus, always return to basic of life. Breathing. No breathe, no life.” ~ Mr. Miyagi ?? Nourishing the mind is of utmost importance during these extraordinary times. Karate isn’t just physical. It’s very much a mental discipline too. . Legendary martial artist Bruce Lee said it best: “The possession of
The possession of anything begins in the mind. Read More »
Why you shouldn’t call yourself ‘sensei’. ?? . ‘Sensei’ (先生) is a Japanese word people all over the world use, in and out of the dojo, in place of ‘teacher.’ . But the word ‘sensei’ is much more than simply a synonym for ‘teacher’. When trying to understand a Japanese word, it’s always a good idea
Why you shouldn’t call yourself ‘sensei’. Read More »
“Why I Stopped Practicing My Karate Style. (Maybe YOU Should Too?)” ~ Jesse Enkamp . . “There is no place in contemporary Karate for different styles. I have heard myself and my colleagues referred to as the ‘Shotokan style’, but I strongly object to this attempt at classification. My belief is that all ‘styles’ should
“There are no styles of karate-do, just varying interpretations of its principles.” Read More »
The difficulty of preserving tradition. ??� . “It is very difficult to keep tradition, not only in karate do, but also in other martial arts. In order to do so, both teachers and students seriously need to do their best. Students need to have an understanding of karate while enjoying it. Of course, teachers have to
It is very difficult to keep tradition. Read More »
“[..] there are many quotes that refers to Zen in relation to martial arts and life.” ?? . Morio Higaonna 10th dan Goju Ryu . “A quiet mind is more important than a positive mind.” ~ Deepak Chopra . . An overcrowded and stressed mind blocks the flow of peace, clarity, wisdom and creativity more than
“A quiet mind is more important than a positive mind.” Read More »
“Many Karate teachers teach a watered down style – no hip action and no depth of punching – so it is easy to say that these teachers have no depth to their knowledge. You are what your teacher is, and if he knows a lot, you should be able to demonstrate this knowledge.” ?? . Yuchoku
“Many Karate teachers teach a watered down style….” Read More »
However keen you may be to begin teaching, before you venture on to the mat and attempt to teach any of the basic techniques (or advanced) to students, it is necessary to know something of the combative principles they contain. . The instructor needs to ask himself/herself what are they training for? Are you training
Make sure, as instructors, your students know exactly what they are being taught. Read More »
